Mom. You wrote at the end of your email that you were hugging me in your mind. Right as I read that my zone leader Elder Clayton hugged me and said tell your mom I hugged you for her. So there you go. I got hugged.
So this week has been interesting. For most of my mission I was lucky to get a new investigator every few weeks or more. Lately Elder Dolbin and I have been getting a couple a week. And then this past week. We destroyed it. With the Lord's help. We got 7 new investigators. One is already gone because he never showed up to his appointment but holy smokes. The more you get the more you keep. And the more you keep the more you get to see progress and get baptized. So we are really excited for this bunch of people. And the more to come this coming week. I don't doubt that we will be able to get a similar outcome next week. This is just the time for dendo to explode here.
K_____ s_____ did not end up coming to church. We weren't even able to meet with her last week. But we tried to give her cookies in the mail and we gave her a cd of nice Japanese spiritual music to bring her the Spirit when we aren't there. Which music I love. It is quite beautiful and made me cry while Elder Dolbin was reading in the other room. But we have an appointment to see K_____ s_____ tomorrow!
L_____ X_____ Y_____ did not come to church either but he had work. He said he would go as much as he could though. And he seemed quite sincere. He said he has only read a little of the Book of Mormon in the few days it had been since we saw him. And we asked him about it. He had only read like 50 pages and just prayed before and after to figure out if it was true. No big deal. This guy is so cool. I love him. We even set up a baptismal date with him today. It isn't until September 8 but he has one now. And I honestly think he will get baptized. His biggest concern is that when he returns to China at the end of the year he won't be able to be Mormon anymore. But I hear there are ways to be Mormon and still obey the law in China. My zone leaders gave me a website. L_____ s_____ said that believing our teachings comes really naturally to him because he grew up going to the Chinese Christian Church. So. I have high hopes for him. He is so cool. He even said today he can't really get baptized earlier because he is so busy but when he gets a break from school he will start hitting the Book of Mormon hard and then get baptized. So it looks like joining this church is in his plan. So I just am happy about that.
We have been visiting a less active member named Y_____ K_____. He is so cool. We have such a good relationship with him now and I just love him so much. There is something I love about old Japanese men. They are my favorite. And we have been visiting Y_____ K_____ a lot lately. And then he came to church yesterday to go to ward conference! I was so happy. I really think he will start being more active in the church soon. I am so excited.
We found a Chinese woman the other day and we will visit her tonight. She doesn't speak any English and not very much Japanese. So we are going to visit her with a Chinese member. Who is coming all the way from Hiroshima just for this visit. We don't have very many members in our area that are active. Just 4. So visiting with members is really hard. And the distance from the church in Hiroshima is like going to Salt Lake I think. It is far for people that have normal lives and jobs and are busier than anyone I have seen in my whole life.
I think I just became the missionary that has been in Hiroshima zone the longest. Last transfer there was one sister who was here longer than me but she returned home and now I am the one who has been here the longest. Just so you know.
Well this past week was so awesome. We taught more than I ever have and contacted more people than I ever have and we found way more new investigators than I ever have. And I can tell you why. It is because we are relying on the Lord even more. We have started praying much harder and way more frequently throughout the day. And we are going through the missionary handbook and picking out anything that we don't do perfectly and we are starting to do it perfectly. And every man we pass we talk to. And we are figuring out ways to really feel the Spirit and to help the Nihonjin feel the Spirit when we talk to them on the streets. I really feel like we are starting to do everything that we can to bring to pass the salvation of the wonderful people here in Japan. And then the Lord does the rest. The Lord does it all. The proof is right here in this last week. We didn't really do anything that different when it actually came to the finding activities and how we approached them. We just tried to get the Lord involved more and He sure got Himself involved. I can't describe to you how awesome this feels. It is awesome to just be able to trust the Lord so much and to feel the Spirit all the time and to see things just work out well. I have really grown so close to the Lord on my mission. And especially these past few transfers and this past week. I just feel ready to go and do whatever the Lord wants me to do. Even if its awkward. I had an experience like that yesterday. I felt a strong prompting and it required me to do something awkward and to take a risk. But I did it. And it was weird. And I honestly can't see what came of it. But immediately after I felt peace and the Lord's approval. I heard a quote by President Monson just the other week. I can't quote it word for word here but he basically said something like he wants the Lord to know if he needs an errand run that he will always run that errand for Him. I want to be like that. So I have been trying really hard to do it. And I am having amazing experiences. This is just too cool for school. You wait homies. We're about to set up Saijo Stake. 楽しく頑張ろう！
Well. I'll just let you guys go now. And I have to go. I'll talk to you next week with whatever miracles come our way this time.
Love Elder Liddle
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